2016 Oscar Nominations Dress Challenge

It's that time of year again and YEAR 6 with this contest! I need help finding a dress for Oscar Nominations morning on January 14, 2016.  It's early again this year and we are going to have to do this over the Christmas break. Remember though, the winner gets a $25 gift certificate to the store of their choice. For those of you that are new to this challenge, YOU get to chose the dress that I wear for a one of Hollywood's biggest events. 

Here are some guidelines:

1.  It is not a red carpet event: I am looking for a dress that is simple, classic and understated.  Think of a DVF wrap dress or a Jackie O. sheath.  I am short (5' 3"), so I want to show off my legs versus lots of cleavage (which I don't have anyway) to give the illusion of height.  I love shoes, so I want to pick something hot and sassy from my shoe wardrobe.  One note:  Even though I want a dress to show off my legs, please no so-short-I-can-see-your-hoo-ha dresses.  The Oscar Nominations are a very conservative event, so I'd like to keep it that way.

2.  I will be working at 5AM PT that day: I want a dress that is easy, comfortable and not fussy.  I hate pulling and tugging at my dress while I am working. Also, I LOVE pockets!

3.  I like color: It looks great on camera and adds brightness to my face.  Please avoid red or crazy patterns because they have a tendency to moray on camera. I've done two blues, two purples and a hot pink, so maybe a green, orange or yellow this year?

4.  The budget is important.  Let's keep the dress under $250 and it has to be available online in sizes 0 or 2. 

Here are the winners from 2011-2015 to give you an idea of what has won in the past:

For more information on the winning dresses from 2011-2015 click here, here, here, here and here.


2015:  Dress by Eliza J


2014: Dress by Eliza J.


2013: Dress by ModCloth


2012:  Dress by Aqua


2011: Dress by Banana Republic


Are you up for the challenge? 

The Rules:

1. Find me a dress by Monday, January 4 at 11:59 p.m. PST. It must be available online. So post the link in the comments below with your contact info.

2.  The dress must be available in the U.S., but international contestants are welcome to join us for this contest. 

3.  Two finalists will be announced on Tuesday, January 5 and the winner will be announced on Thursday, January 14.

4.  Winner will receive a $25 gift certificate to the store of their choice.


If you have any questions, post in the comments below.  Ready, get set, shop!

Oscar Nominations Dress Challenge 2015

It's that time of year again! I need help finding a dress for Oscar Nominations morning on January 15, 2014.  It's early again this year and we are going to have to do this over the Christmas break. Remember though, the winner gets a $25 gift certificate to the store of their choice. For those of you that are new to this challenge, YOU get to chose the dress that I wear for a one of Hollywood's biggest events. 

Here are some guidelines:

1.  It is not a red carpet event: I am looking for a dress that is simple, classic and understated.  Think of a DVF wrap dress or a Jackie O. sheath.  I am short (5' 3"), so I want to show off my legs versus lots of cleavage (which I don't have anyway) to give the illusion of height.  I love shoes, so I want to pick something hot and sassy from my shoe wardrobe.  One note:  Even though I want a dress to show off my legs, please no so-short-I-can-see-your-hoo-ha dresses.  The Oscar Nominations are a very conservative event, so I'd like to keep it that way.

2.  I will be working at 5AM PT that day: I want a dress that is easy, comfortable and not fussy.  I hate pulling and tugging at my dress while I am working. Also, I LOVE pockets!

3.  I like color: It looks great on camera and adds brightness to my face.  Please avoid red or crazy patterns because they have a tendency to moray on camera. I've done blue, two purples, and a hot pink, so maybe a green or yellow this year?

4.  The budget is important.  Let's keep the dress under $250 and it has to be available online in sizes 0 or 2. 

Here are the winners from 2011-2014 to give you an idea of what has won in the past:

For more information on the winning dresses from 2011-2013, click here, here, here and here.

2011:  Dress by Banana Republic

2012:  Dress by Aqua

2013: Dress by ModCloth

2014: Dress by Eliza J.

Are you up for the challenge? 

The Rules:

1. Find me a dress by Monday, January 5 at 11:59 p.m. PST. It must be available online. So post the link in the comments below with your contact info.

2.  The dress must be available in the U.S., but international contestants are welcome to join us for this contest. 

3.  Two finalists will be announced on Thursday, January 8 and the winner will be announced on Thursday, January 15.

4.  Winner will receive a $25 gift certificate to the store of their choice.


If you have any questions, post in the comments below.  Ready, get set, shop!

Hints of Oscars Red Carpet Fashions: Shoes

I've been hinting about what I might wear on the Oscars red carpet on Sunday, March 2. I teased two dresses on my Instagram account already. I won't decide until the week of the Oscars which dress I will wear, but the good news is that I can eat this year. No crazy diets, both dresses are going to allow me to eat a few cheeseburgers leading up to the big day. Hooray!

While I am going to wait until Oscars morning to reveal my outfit, I thought I would give you a sneak peek of my shoes. I haven't seen them in person yet, but designer Zul Mohd of EMMETT sent me a photo. I think they are gorgeous and I cannot wait to wear them! He even accessorized me with a clutch to go with the outfit. I cannot thank him enough. I've worked with Zul before when he designed  incredible shoes and a clutch for the Thirst Gala last June. To see more of his work, visit his website.

How are you gearing up for Oscars Sunday? Let me know in the comments below.

Who Wore It Best?: Taylor Petites Edition

Everyone once in awhile, someone steals my look. (Ha ha...it could have been their look first.) It's happened a few times before here and here.

Me and Jesse Heiman

I wrote about this dress from Taylor Petites and wore it to host the red carpet of the 1st Annual Geekie Awards. Now the most "adorkable" geek wore the same dress. (It's very affordable, too!) She looks great in the outfit since the color matches her eyes and it's a nice contrast to her brunette hair.

Look, it's Zooey Deschanel!

Who Are You Wearing?: 4th Annual Thirst Project Gala

While many of you have seen the photos from last week's Thirst Project Gala, I received a lot of questions about my outfit. Here's the inside scoop on my wardrobe from that evening.

Dress: Ted Baker-London
Shoes/Clutch: EMMETT (See more photos of my gorgeous custom-made shoes and clutch here.)
Necklace: Jessica Matrasko
Ring: Rachel Zoe for QVC
Hair: BLO
Makeup: Blushington

Host Louise Roe: From 'Fashion Star' to Carrera Ignition Night

 Louise Roe at the Carrera Ignition Night event in NYC

Tonight is the season finale of NBC's Fashion Star and host Louise Roe is touting a dramatic finish.

She told The Hollywood Reporter on Friday, "It's so dramatic, and purely by chance, each finalist is on a different team: One is on Team Jessica, one is on Team Nicole, and one is on John's team. So that means the mentors are getting quite emotionally involved. After 10 weeks, they've totally bonded with the designers, not only onstage with me but as their mentors as well. There is a whole lot at stake. It's $6 million worth of clothes in these huge stories."

Besides the end of the fashion show for Season 2, Roe is can be seen everywhere from the Oscars red carpet to hosting a new series Beauty School on Look TV. She was also recently spotted at the Carrera Ignition Night in New York sporting the hottest shades from their current collection.

Roe shared, “Sunglasses are my favorite accessory! You can wear them anytime, anywhere and look exceptionally put-together.”

The fashionista chose peach-hued frames that are perfect for the summer season.

To find out more about Carrera, visit their website.

Who do you think will win Season 2 of Fashion Star?

Images courtesy of Marion Curtis/StarPix

Final Oscar Photos

 This is probably the last set of photos from the Oscars. Phew.  These were taken by Tyrone Roberts who followed me to several Oscar Week events and photographed all of the action.  You can see more of his work here.

I also did a fun wrap-up with Nic Baisley of Film Snobbery about what happened behind the scenes and we talked about the Anne Hathaway backlash at great length.

Interview with Japanese TV

With my pal, Jordan Carson. You might remember her from last year's Oscar photos.

With one of my favorite film experts, Leonard Maltin.

And the photographer himself in front of the camera, Tyrone Roberts!

Photos courtesy of Tyrone Roberts, B Natural Photography

My Oscar Shoes...I Think...

We are less than a week away from the big night and besides covering events, I am busy trying to help coordinate my overall look for Sunday with my stylist, Roni B. I think I have my shoes.  I say "think" because my dress is long and the heels need to be high...sky high.  I really love the pair that I have, but we may have to go in another direction if I need more height.

After I mentioned that I finally had shoes for the Oscars, I received this tweet from one of my followers, Ronnie:

I responded with, "Height, comfort, fashion. In that order."

I wish it were easy to just select any old random shoe, but this year, my shoes count. I am showing a lot of leg in my dress and you are going to see my shoes. However, I've always worn broken-in shoes to the big day and this year, I am wearing brand new shoes with a little trepidation.  I don't want blisters!  I know my feet will hurt after a long day, but blisters are the worst.

I will be in those shoes from 10am PT until I can slip them off my feet when I am backstage in the press  room.  So, wish me well and tell the shoe gods to be good to me.

I also have to say that it was the first pair of shoes I have bought in a store in ages. I am a huge online shopper, so it was unusual to be in a mall on a Monday night trying on shoes. As a part of the #MySmarterCommerce campaign with IBM, I felt a little old school being in a store instead of behind a keyboard for that purchase.

Let's take a sneak peek at my shoes for Sunday.  May I present...Stuart Weitzman's Gloso shoe.  While I would like to call these an "investment shoe," I will say I bought my first pair of Weitzman's in 2007 and I haven't regretted a second of that purchase.  While they are not a shoe I wear every day, they have served me well on the red carpet. In fact, you can see the shoe here and here.  I am not showing you the dress until Sunday, but there is a little glimpse of the dress in yesterday's post if you are curious.

So, what do you think of the shoes?  Give me your honest opinion in the comments below.

Oscars Dress: A Cry For Fashion

I'm headed to the Oscars!  In exactly 19 days from now, I will be on the red carpet interviewing all of the nominees on Hollywood's biggest night.  There's only one problem...I still need a dress.  So, I am putting a call out to you...on the internet, on social media, and wherever else this little post might get passed around.  So, if you are a designer, established or up-and-coming, or if you know someone, pass them my information.  I can always be contacted here.

Me and my dress at the 84th Annual Academy Awards in the Toledo Free Press

In exchange for letting me borrow the gown, the designer will be promoted with a video, photos, across all social media outlets, and of course, it will be plugged on any media appearances I make before and after the show.  As we all know, the biggest question on Oscar night is, "Who are you wearing?"

If you want to see what I've worn in the past, take a look at Oscars 2011 and Oscars 2012.  I also found a beautiful vintage dress in the window at Decades.  That might be my dream dress.

While I am LA-based, I am hitting the road on Friday to cover Oscars trip across the country. I will be in Chicago through February 13th, so if there are any Chicago designers out there....hit me up!

The Finalists: Oscar Nominations Dress

It's year 3 of my Oscar Nominations Dress Challenge! Is your dress among the finalists?  Here are this year's two finalists chosen for very different reasons:

1.  Dress 1:  Shabby Apple
     This is a shape that I don't normally choose, but I like the elegance of it.  It's simple yet perfect for the tradition of the Oscar nominations.  My only concern is if this color will wash me out on camera, but like Jennifer said when she submitted this dress, "I know you want bright colors, but I love the lightness and texture on this- maybe have some deep red lipstick in hand? A la old Hollywood."

2.  Dress 2:  ModCloth

ModCloth was a runner-up in 2011, but the fit was a bit off.  Let's hope this year I got it right.  The color is great for camera and it has a bit of Mad Men glamour that is perfect for the sophistication of the event that morning.  As Robin also mentioned when she submitted this dress on Facebook, "They have wonderful good looks - really affordable too!"

Both dresses should arrive next week just in time for the Oscar Nominations.  Which one is your favorite?  

Vote below and be sure to see the dress I choose on Thursday, January 10! Winner receives a $25 gift certificate to the store of their choice. Good luck!

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A Fashionista Extravaganza

It's no secret that I love my local store, Roni B.  If you have followed my blog for awhile,  you know she has dressed me from head to toe for events and shoots here, here, and here.  Well, I am excited to be hosting A Fashionista Extravaganza on Tuesday, November 30th with Roni B.  It will be a night of fashion, fun, food, wine, and a dash of charity.  Guests are encouraged to bring their gently used business casual and professional attire to donate to The Valley Women's Center.  So, clean out your closet and maybe add an item or two or grab a snazzy holiday gift.

If you would like an invite and you are in the LA area, contact me to be added to the list.  It will be a fun night on the fashion front!

Photo Courtesy of My Daily Find.

Scenes From Nashville

I was lucky enough to travel to Nashville for the first time to host an infomercial with a true home shopping icon, Tony Little.  After rehearsal on Thursday, I had time to walk around downtown to catch the sights and scenes of a truly amazing city.  It was the perfect crisp fall day that I don't get from living in LA.  I also knew that I was worlds away from the West Coast.  Enjoy the flavor of Nashville in photos.

The Architecture:

The Fashions:

Um, where I am from, you don't EVER see a Confederate flag.  Here, they are on flip flops.  Yikes!

Nashville Dreams.......

They take their cowboy boots very seriously.

Always a fashion don't, no matter what city you live in.

Cowboy hat, check.  Cowboy boots, check.  Wrangler jeans, check.  Yep, I am in Nashville.

Parting Shots: